Dispensing device for use with nursing bottle assembly



Oct. 10, 1967 c. w. HERDMAN DISPENSING DEVICE FOR USE WITHv NURSINGBOTTLE ASSEMBLY Original Filed Nov. 30, 1965 FIG. 2.

FIG. 1.

I NVE N TOR. 0945A EJ 60. Hagan 14m United States Patent 3,346,133DISPENSING DEVICE FOR USEWITH NURSING BOTTLE ASSEMBLY Charles W.Herdman, 35 Royal Palm Drive,

Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 33301 Original application Nov. 30, 1965, Ser. No.510,613. Divided and this application Nov. 28, 1966, Ser. No.

2 Claims. (Cl. 215-11) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An apparatus fordispensing liquid from a nursing bottle regardless of the position ofthe bottle, and to minimize air swallowingby the infant. A tube isconnected to and depends from the nipple into the bottle and is,provided with a removable check valve at its connection to the nipplefor preventing flow of liquid back from the nipple to the bottle.

Cross-references to related applications This application is a divisionof application Serial No. 510,613, filed November 30, 1965, and nowabandoned.

Background of the invention (1) Field of invention.-This inventiongenerally relates to a nursing bottle assembly intended for useinfeeding infants and more particularly, to a dispensing device in theassembly through which the contents of the bottle may be withdrawn,regardless of the position of the bottle, and in such a manner as tominimize air swallowing by the infant.

(2) Description of the prior art.l nfants are usually fed milk orformula from a bottle capped with a flexible nipple. The bottle istilted and the milk or formula is placed by gravity adjacent an orificein the tip of the nipple, which is sucked by'the infant. As a result ofthe vacuum created by sucking of the nipple, the liquid formula or milkis drawn int-o the infants mouth.

This type of nursing bottle assembly has the inherent disadvantage ofhaving to be held in an inverted position during feeding of the infant,as well as placing the infant in a reclining position. Furthermore, ifthe bottle is set upright during a feeding interval, the liquid formulaor milk in the nipple is replaced by air in the bottle. Upon resumptionof feeding, some of this air will remain in the nipple and be swallowedby the infant, which may result in a common type of colic. Collapse ofthe nipple during feeding may also occur, causing excessive suckingaction and air swallowing.

The provision of a tube fitted into the interior of the nipple of anursing bottle assembly and extending downwardly therefrom to the bottomportion of the bottle has been proposed heretofore -(see, e.g., Patents2,744,529 and 1,577,988) to eifecttransfer of the liquid in the bottleto the nipple, regardless of the position of the bottle, upon suctionbeing applied to the nipple by the infant. Thus, the infant may situpright and hold the bottle during feeding.

Patent 2,744,529 also discloses the use of a'discharge control means, inthe nature of acaptive check valve in the tube for preventing the returnof liquid from the nipple to the bottle upon cessation of suction on thehead of the nipple by the infant. The liquid, being forced to re-3,346,133 Patented Oct. 10, 1967 main in the nipple will preventcollapse thereof and the It is an object of the present invention toprovide a dispensing device for a nursing bottle assembly including aremovable discharge control means operable to an open position inresponse to suction applied to the head of the nipple of the assembly toprovide a flow of feeding liquid to the nipple and infant user, andwhich is operable to close upon cessation of such suction, thereinretaining the feeding liquid in the nipple to prevent its collapse andreplacement by air.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a dispensingdevice of the character indicated wherein the control discharge meansconstitutes a removable and replaceable check valve.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide adispensing device of the character indicated which includes a tubeadapted to extend from the interior of the nipple to a position adjacentthe bottom of the bottle, thereby permitting withdrawal of liquid fromthe nipple regardless of the position of the bottle.

in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Brief description of the drawing FIGURE 1 is an elevational view, partlyin section, of

, the nursing bottle and nipple assembly having a dispensing deviceaccording to the present invention associated therewith. I

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view, with a part broken away, taken on theline2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a plan view taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2, showing thedischarge control valve of the present invention in closed position.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged elevational sectional view of the assembly ofFIGURE 2, showing the valve in open position.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5' of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged exploded perspective view, partly insection, ofa dispensing device according to the present invention.

Description 0] preferred embodiment Referring to the drawing, numeral 10designates, generally, a nursing bottle and nipple assembly, theassembly including a nursing bottle 12, FIGURE 1, which is provided withan open neck 14 and a nipple 16 which is provided with a flange 18 atthe base thereof, the nipple surmounting the open neck 14 of the'bottle12 and having the flange 18 compressed against the open neck of thebottle 12 to close the bottle. An internally threaded thimble 20compresses the flange 18 against the open neck 14 of the bottle 12. Thisis of conventional structure, and, therefore, no further amplificationis necessary. 7

Mounted Within the base of the nipple 16 is a dispensing deviceaccording to the present invention, which is generally indicated by thenumeral 22, the device being fabricated of compressible material, suchas plastic, rubber, and the like. The device 22 embodies a compressibleplug member 24 which extends into and sealingly closes the nipple 16 andwhich is sealingly compressed against the nipple flange 18. The plugmember 24 is provided on its external surface between the upper andlower ends thereof with spaced continuous ridges 26 which extendthereabout the external surface of the plug member, and sealinglyengages in the wall of the nipple, as clearly seen in FIGURE 1. On thelower end of the plug member 24 is a projecting collar 28 which issealingly compressed against the nipple flange 18.

The plug member 24 is provided with a discharge control means, suchmeans being disposed in the upper end of the plug member, and incooperative relation with an axial passageway 32 formed in the plugmember 24, the passageway opening out of the lower end of the plugmember, and having the upper end opening into the discharge controlmeans in the upper end of the plug member 24. This discharge controlmeans includes a groove 30 formed in and opening out of the upper end ofthe plug member 24, the groove 30 opening into the upper end of thepassageway 32, and a horizontal valve means 40 which is housed withinthe groove 30 of the plug member 24. The upper end of the passageway 32which opens into the groove 30 is flared, as at 34. A tube 36 dependsfrom the lower end of the passageway 32 and is in communication with thelower end of the passageway, the tube being of a length such that thefree end is adjacent to and spaced from the bottom 13 of the nursingbottle 12, as shown in FIGURE 1. Preferably, a small weight 38 isprovided on the free end of the tube to permit the siphon to recoverliquid from the lower corner of the bottle 12, when it is held at anangle with its contents nearly exhausted, or when held in an invertedposition, the weight being formed of plastic or a chemically resistantmetal, such as stainless steel.

The horizontal valve means 40 of the discharge means is housed withinthe groove 30 of the plug member 24 and bridges and closes the flaredupper end 34 of the passageway 32. Specifically, this valve means 40 isa horizontal flap valve 42 which is hingedly connected intermediate itsends to the wall of the groove 30 for movement between the closedlay-down position of FIGURE 2, and the open raised position of FIGURE 4.As shown in FIGURES 3 and 6, the wall of the groove 30 of the plugmember 24 is provided with an opposed pair of horizontal pins 44 whichare received between spaced pairs of vertical pegs 46 rising from theupper face of a thickened part 43 of the flap valve 42, the thickenedpart 43 extending transversely across the midpoint of the flap valve 42.The thickened part 43 has a stud 45 between the pairs of pegs 46, thestuds serving as a handle for withdrawing the valve 42 from the groove30 for cleaning or replacement. The interposition of the pins 44 betweenthe spaced pairs of pegs 46 constitutes a hinge connection of the flapvalve 42 to the wall of the groove 30 of the plug member 24.

In operation, with the nursing bottle and nipple assembly 10, as shownin FIGURE 1, and with the bottle 12 filled with a feeding liquid,application of suction applied to the head of the nipple 16 by theinfant user causes the flap valve 42 to shift to open position, as shownin FIGURE 4, permitting the liquid to flow into the mouth of the babyuser as long as suction is applied. Upon cessation of the application ofsuction to the flap valve 42, the flap valve promptly returns to theclosed position, as shown in FIGURE 2, stopping the flow of liquid tothe mouth of the baby user and trapping the liquid in the nipple. It isto be understood that the nursing bottle and nipple assembly may be inan upright position of FIGURE 1, in an in e e p sit on, or at an angle,and in any of such positions the baby user can secure the containedfeeding liquid by the application of suction to the head of the nipple,and upon cessation of such suction, the flow of feeding liquid isimmediately stopped.

By trapping liquid in the nipple upon cessation of suction, the nippleis prevented from collapsing and the entrapment of air within the nippleis minimized, thereby reducing the chance of excessive air swallowing.

Since valve means 40 is removable, the components of the dispensingdevice may be cleaned or replaced upon malfunction, such as can becaused by clogging.

While the presently preferred embodiment of the invention has beendescribed and illustrated, it is to be understood that the invention isnot limited to the precise construction disclosed herein, but should beconstrued as covering all changes and modifications coming within thescope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device for dispensing feeding liquid from a nursing bottle to anipple in seated engagement therewith,

said device comprising a plug member adapted to extend into sealingengagement with the interior of the nipple and having an axialpassageway therethrough,

a tube having one end depending from and in communication with the lowerend of said passageway and an opposite free end adapted to extend intoand be spaced from the bottom of the bottle, thereby providingcommunication between the bottle and the interior of the nipple,

the improvement comprising:

discharge control means including a groove formed in and opening out ofthe upper end of said plug member, said groove being in communicationwith the upper end of said axial passageway,

a pair of opposed horizontal pins provided in the wall of said groove,

and valve means for alternately opening and closing said passageway tocommunication between the bottle and the interior of the nipple inresponse to the application and cessation of suction, said valve meansincluding a flap valve having pairs of vertical pegs rising from anupper surface thereof housed within said groove and bridging the upperend of said passageway,

each pair of vertical pins on said flap valve receiving a horizontal pinin the wall of said groove for forming a hinged connection between saidflap valve and the wall of said groove.

2. In a device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said flap valveincludes an upstanding stud serving as a handle for withdrawing saidvalve from said groove.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 213,375 3/1879 Badger et a1.137-5124 X 1,930,107 10/1933 Rang 137--525.1 2,868,203 1/1959 Tichy21511 X 2,979,078 4/ 1961 Witz 215-11 X 2,987,209 6/1961 Leonard 215-11FOREIGN PATENTS 10,524 3/ 1902 Norway.

JOSEPH R. 'LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

DONALD F. NORTON, Examiner.

1. IN A DEVICE FOR DISPENSING FEEDING LIQUID FROM A NURSING BOTTLE TO ANIPPLE IN SEATED ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING A PLUGMEMBER ADAPTED TO EXTEND INTO SEALING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE INTERIOR OFTHE NIPPLE AND HAVING AN AXIAL PASSAGEWAY THERETHROUGH, A TUBE HAVINGONE END DEPENDING FROM AND IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE LOWER END OF SAIDPASSAGEWAY AND AN OPPOSITE FREE END ADAPTED TO EXTEND INTO AND BE SPACEDFROM THE BOTTOM OF THE BOTTLE, THEREBY PROVIDING COMMUNICATION BETWEENTHE BOTTLE AND THE INTERIOR OF THE NIPPLE, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING:DISCHARGE CONTROL MEANS INCLUDING A GROOVE FORMED IN AND OPENING OUT OFTHE UPPER END OF SAID PLUG MEMBER, SAID GROOVE BEING IN COMMUNICATIONWITH THE UPPER END OF SAID AXIAL PASSAGEWAY, A PAIR OF OPPOSEDHORIZONTAL PINS PROVIDED IN THE WALL OF SAID GROOVE, AND VALVE MEANS FORALTERNATELY OPENING AND CLOSING SAID PASSAGEWAY TO COMMUNICATION BETWEENTHE BOTTLE AND THE INTERIOR OF THE NIPPLE IN RESPONSE TO THE APPLICATIONAND CESSATION OF SUCTION, SAID VALVE MEANS INCLUDING A FLAP VALVE HAVINGPAIRS OF VERTICAL PEGS RISING FROM AN UPPER SURFACE THEREOF HOUSEDWITHIN SAID GROOVE AND BRIDGING THE UPPER END OF SAID PASSAGEWAY, EACHPAIR OF VERTICAL PINS ON SAID FLAP VALVE RECEIVING A HORIZONTAL PIN INTHE WALL OF SAID GROOVE FOR FORMING A HINGED CONNECTION BETWEEN SAIDFLAP VALVE AND THE WALL OF SAID GROOVE.